KALYANI GOVERNMENT ENGINEERING COLLEGE

PW-ME581: PROJECT – I
Presentation on
Analysis of Growth of Boundary
Layer Thickness over a Flat Plate
Done by:
Surajit Sarkar(Roll:10200718027)
Supriyo Das(Roll:10200718029)
Sudip Paul(Roll:10200718032)
Rana Mal(Roll:10200718046)
Year:3rd
Semester: 5th
Under the guidance of:
Dr. Debojyoti Mitra
Professor, Mechanical Engg, KGEC
 Introduction
When a real fluid flows past a solid body or a solid wall, the
fluid particle adhere to the boundary and condition of no slip
occurs. This means that the velocity of fluid close to the
boundary will be same as that of the boundary, the velocity
will be higher and as a result of this variation of velocity, the
velocity gradient (du/dy) will exits. The velocity of fluid
increases from zero velocity on the stationary boundary to
free streamvelocity (U) of the fluid in the direction normal to
the boundary. This variation of velocity from zero to free
stream velocity in the direction normal to the boundary takes
place in a narrow region. The theory dealing with boundary
layer flows is called boundary layer theory.
According to boundary layer theory, the flow of fluid in the
neighborhood of the solid boundary may be divided into two
regions.
•A very thin layer of the fluid, called the boundary layer, in the
immediate neighborhood of the solid boundary, where the
variation of velocity from zero at the solid boundary to free
stream velocity in the direction normal to the boundary takes
place. In this region, the velocity gradient (du/dy) exits and hence
the fluid exerts a shear stress on the wall in the direction of
motion. The value of shear stress is given by-
Ԏ=µ(du/dy)
•The remaining fluid, which is outside the boundary layer. The
velocity outside the boundary layer is constant and equal to free
stream velocity. As there is no variation of velocity in this region,
the velocity gradient (du/dy) becomes zero. As a result of this the
shear stress is zero.
 Theoretical Background

The fluid particles at the flat plate surface have zero velocity and they act as
a retardant to reduce velocity of adjacent particles in the vertical direction.
Similar actions continue by other particles until at the edge of the boundary
layer where the particles’ velocity is 99% of the free stream
velocity.Boundary layers can also be measured by more significant
parameters. Themain boundary layer parameters are as follows:The
displacements thickness,∂* is defined as the distance by which the external
streamlines are shifted due to the presence of the boundary layer:
∂*=∫(1-(u/U))dy

The momentum thickness represents the height of the free stream flow
which would be needed to make up the deficiency in momentum flux
within the boundary layer due to the shear force at the surface.The
momentum thick- ness for an in-compressible boundary layer is given by:
∂ **=∫(u/U)(1-(u/U))dy
 Reynolds number
The Reynolds number (Re) helps predict flow patterns in different fluid flow
situations. It is used to predict the transition from laminar to turbulent
flow.The Reynold’s number is the ratio of inertial forces to viscous forces
within a fluid which is subjected to relative internal movement due to
differentfluid velocities. The Reynolds number is defined as-
Re=(ρuL/µ)=(uL/ν)
(4)
Where,
ρ=density of the fluid
u=the flow speed
L=characteristic linear dimension
µ=dynamic viscosity of the fluid
ν=kinematic viscosity
Sl No. Range of Reynolds number Type of flow

1. Rex<5×105 Laminar Flow

2. Rex>5×105 Turbulent Flow

Table 1: Reynolds number and flow types

.

Boundary layer thickness

When a real fluid,flows past aflat plate,the velocity of fluid on the plate will be
same as that of plate velocity.If the plate is at rest, the fluid will also have zero
velocity and the boundary layer thickness increases with distance from the
leading edge. Up to a certain distance from the leading edge,flow in boundary
layer region is laminar and as the laminar boundary layer grown in instability.The
fluid flow in the boundary layer region changes from laminar flow to turbulent
flow. Even in the turbulent boundary layer region, the fluid flow near the
boundary is still laminar and known as laminarsublayer. Laminar sublayer region
exist in turbulent boundary layer region.

Fig 2: Development of boundary layer on a flat plate

Boundary layer thickness is defined as the distance from the boundary
of the solid body measured in Y- direction to the point, where the
velocity of the fluid is approximately equal to 0.99 times the free
stream velocity (U) of the fluid. It is generally denoted by the symbol
∂.From Blasius equation, the equation of boundary layer thickness over
a flat plate can be obtained.

Sl No. Types of flow Equation of boundary layer

thickness

1. Laminar flow ∂=4.91x/(Re)1/2

2. Turbulent flow ∂=0.371x/(Re)1/5

Table 2: Equation of boundary layer thickness w.r.t types of flow

 MS-EXCEL Programming

MS-Excel software was used to calculate boundary

layer thickness for different free stream velocities and
different flat plate lengths. Free stream velocity was
varied from 1 m/s to 10 m/s with an increment of 1
m/s, whereas plate length was varied from 1 m to 10
m with an increment of 1 m. The plots of growth of
boundary layer were generated using MS-Excel.
Results and discussions:
The plots obtained from MS-Excel
programming are represented by Fig. Length of plate v/s Boundary layer thickness
1 to 10 for 10 different free stream

Boundary layer thickness(m)

0.25
velocities. It is found that for lower 0.2
0.15
velocities, at first there is a clear 0.1
laminar boundary layer generation 0.05
0
and then it transforms into turbulent 0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Plate length(m)
boundary layer. For higher velocities,
the turbulent boundary layer starts
Fig.4 Growth of boundary layer for free stream
much earlier and presence of laminar velocity 2 m/s
boundary layer becomes insignificant.
B ounda ry la y e r thick ne s s (m )

Length of plate v/s Boundary layer thickness

0.25

Boundary layer thickness(m)

Length of plate v/s Boundary layer thickness 0.2
0.15
0.3 0.1
0.25
0.2 0.05
0.15
0.1 0
0.05 0 2 4 6 8 10 12
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Plate length(m) Plate length(m)

Fig.5 Growth of boundary layer for free stream

Fig.3 Growth of boundary layer for free stream velocity 3 m/s
velocity 1 m/s
Length of plate v/s Boundary layer thickness Length of plate v/s Boundary layer thickness
Boundary layer thickness(m)

0.25 0.2

Boundary layer thickness(m)

0.2
0.15
0.15
0.1 0.1

0.05 0.05
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Plate length(m)
Plate length(m)

Fig.6 Growth of boundary layer for free stream Fig.7 Growth of boundary layer for free stream
velocity 4 m/s velocity 5 m/s
Length of plate v/s Boundary layer thickness Length of plate v/s Boundary layer thickness
0.2 0.2

Boundary layer thickness(m)

Boundary layer thickness(m)

0.15 0.15

0.1 0.1

0.05 0.05

0 0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Plate length(m) Plate length(m)

Fig.8 Growth of boundary layer for free stream Fig.9 Growth of boundary layer for free stream
velocity 6 m/s velocity 7 m/s
Length of plate v/s Boundary layer thickness Length of plate v/s Boundary layer thickness
Boundary layer thickness(m)

0.2 0.2

Boundary layer thickness(m)

0.15 0.15

0.1 0.1

0.05 0.05

0 0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Plate length(m)
Plate length(m)

Fig.10 Growth of boundary layer for free stream Fig.11 Growth of boundary layer for free stream
velocity 8 m/s velocity 9 m/s

Length of plate v/s Boundary layer thickness

0.2
Boundary layer thickness(m)

0.15

0.1

0.05

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Plate length(m)

Fig.12 Growth of boundary layer for free stream

velocity 10 m/s
 Conclusion

The present study shows how a boundary layer

grows along a flat plate at zero incidence. It is
evident from the plots that laminar boundary layer
is significant for lower free stream velocities,
whereas it becomes insignificant at higher free
stream velocities. It also shows that this problem
can be solved using MS-Excel programming.
 References

1. Measurement of Boundary layer on flat

plate,KayGemba,March 25,2007,
https://web.iitd.ac.in/~pmvs/courses/mel705/bo
undarylayer.pdf
2.ReynoldsNumber,Wikipedia,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reynolds_number
Thank You